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The Covid-19 crisis has rewritten the rules of advertising. But it’s only confirmed what we already know: Advertising isn’t a dirty word. It’s part of our escape route from the pandemic and will have a huge influence on the world’s health far beyond it.
There’s no better example of this than Super Bowl 2021, where some iconic advertisers have diverted budget away from in-game advertising to realign their positioning around the global pandemic. In their place, brands like the job site Indeed and food delivery brand DoorDash are lining up for their Big Game debuts. It’s a whole new ball game.
The pandemic has put the advertising industry at the center of the playing field, with comms a key player in the offensive line.
The health impact of the pandemic will still be seen in five years’ time. But by then, the story won’t be Covid; it will be the untreatable cancers, chronic diseases and serious conditions that went unreported and undiagnosed as the world shut down. The long-term forecasts aren’t pretty. If we want to limit the damage tomorrow, we must unleash creativity on the problem today. This is our moment.
The role of advertising has been shifting for some time. It’s no longer just about persuading people to buy stuff or change their behaviors; it’s about enhancing experiences and improving lives. There’s no doubt that our day-to-day experiences have been entirely reshaped by the pandemic. It’s here where creativity can have its most enduring impact. Our ability to reduce the long-term impact of Covid will hinge on how well we can redesign health experiences, tailoring every journey to suit the person, the health system, the disease and the need. A good place to start is disease awareness through campaigns that highlight the symptoms of disease and inspire early action. Effective disease awareness campaigns connect people with information, advice and services to help them proactively manage their health.
They’ve never been more important. Here are three favorites:
Movember (2003-present day)
The flagship disease-awareness campaign for men’s health, Growing a Mo has become synonymous with the cause, creating a global movement that connects people with the signs of prostate cancer and mental illness in a positive, fun and engaging way. Practically everyone knows Movember. We need more like Mo.
Three wise monkeys (2012)
A campaign to raise awareness of viral hepatitis (a leading cause of global death), the concept built on an old proverb symbolizing ignorance. It used Twitter and mobile to engage global audiences, inviting people to tweet photos of themselves in the ‘three wise monkeys” pose. SMS helped get the message to hard-to-reach communities in Africa. Around 25% of people in South Africa texted back requesting more information.
Bigger Picture (2021)
For the first time in 37 years, Budweiser isn’t airing a commercial during this year’s Super Bowl. Instead, it is dipping its toes into health education. Its appropriately titled film, “Bigger Picture,” advocates Covid prevention and vaccine awareness. It’s being aired on digital platforms in the week leading up to the Super Bowl but will also run throughout the year.
These campaigns combine creativity, insight and technology to inspire behaviors that can lead to better health. We need many more. If we’re to avoid a long-term crisis, we must make health a nonstop Super Bowl for creative—and shape connected health experiences that help us win the ultimate championship game.
